


we'll build new memories if we must

by knightinsourarmor



Series: Fictober 2018 [4]
Category: Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Guilt, M/M, even if only one remembers it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-02 01:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16295303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightinsourarmor/pseuds/knightinsourarmor
Summary: Erik knows his amnesia is troubling but one person on the boat seems to be taking it harder than the others. Takes place right after finding Erik but before going to Sniflheim.Written for Fictober 2018 for the combined prompts “You shouldn’t have come here.” & “You think this troubles me?”





	we'll build new memories if we must

Erik isn’t sure what to make of the people on this ship. They claimed to know him. That he had journeyed with him for quite some time. Erik wasn’t sure if he should be so quick to trust them but what else did he have? They didn’t get angry he had eaten their food or stowed away upon their ship. He should count his blessings instead of mistrusting these strangers. Not strangers? 

It was hard to wrap his head around. In fact, it was giving Erik a headache. Something felt wrong as well, but being unable to know what happened or anything that could connect the dots between his feelings and what might have brought them on, he shouldn’t dwell.

Needing some fresh air in hopes that it would clear some of his headache. As he went above deck, the cool evening air already brushing against his face, he spotted someone else. They weren’t the only ones on the deck, but he was separated from the others, standing near the back of the ship. Erik stood there, watching him quietly for a moment. He thought about the excitement in his eyes, the instant relief, when he saw him. It was as if he had been carrying a weight and finally it had been released. Dropped. Only to be replaced with a new one when he announced that he didn’t know who they were. Erik couldn’t forget the raw pain in his expression. 

Out of everyone on the ship, all the people who had been standing there, he reacted the strongest. He spoke no words, but he didn’t have to. 

It was a mystery to the amnesiac. What was their relationship prior to this? He had been happy to see him and so upset to know that he was missing memories. They had to have been close. Best friends of some sort? Another thought came to mind and he found his face turn a shade warmer. Even if he didn’t know who they were to one another before, he definitely felt drawn to him now. Perhaps that was just because of who he was. He seemed to have amassed quite the group. 

Erik approached hesitatingly. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to see him right now considering the circumstances.

“Hey there. Nice night?” He felt lame immediately. The man - Caleb was his name right? - only glanced his face. Even with the brief look, he could still see the pain in his eyes. He was still torn up over it. Erik decided to try and make a lame joke. “ You shouldn’t have come here. Is that what you want to say to me?”

This time he turned fully to him, raising an eyebrow. “Why would I say that?”

“You just seemed bugged by my presence,” Erik replied, doing his best not to sound upset. He wasn’t. Like he had any right to be upset that someone else was disappointed he wasn’t really him right now. Still, Caleb looked a bit confused. 

“I’m not going to tell you you shouldn’t be here. You belong here just as much as the rest of us.”

“I don’t know what I’m even doing here. I just wanted something to eat. But I’m glad that I knew you guys. You’re not a bad bunch. A bit weird though.”

“We are quite the collection of weirdos. I remember you telling me that before.” There it was. A small smile on his face. Erik was feeling a bit better seeing him happy and not upset. He even leaned a bit towards him, unsure why. This was definitely different than his normal pull. “You included yourself by the way.”

“Of course I did. I think I’m pretty weird.”

They both laughed, a gentle sound. Erik could definitely tell they were sharing a moment. Had they shared one like this before? They talked even more. It was nice, strangely, to hear about himself from someone else. That he had been the first one to travel with Caleb and how close that made them. He felt safer with Erik and more confident. It was clear that he really liked him. It made something in Erik’s chest ache. He was starting to feel a bit worried about it.

“Hey,” Erik started after a moment of silence. Caleb gave him another smile as he looked at him. “I’m sorry. I know I must have meant something to you and now. Now-”

“Now you can’t remember what it was?”

Erik nodded, almost ashamed but unsure why. 

“You think this troubles me?” Caleb laughed again, his laughter a soothing sound to Erik. Even if he couldn’t remember, he’d want to keep hearing it. “It did. I won’t deny I wasn’t upset that your amnesia hurt. I missed you so much Erik. But I was happy to know you were alive. I worried so much what happened to you all. I thought I had failed you all - killed you all. I am happy knowing you’re alive, no matter what. You’re still you.”

Maybe he couldn’t get his memories back, but as Caleb reached out to touch his hand, keeping hold of it against the railing, he thought maybe he could form new ones. Ones he’d keep with all of his might this time.


End file.
